The Communicative Relations Awards from PR Professionals, called The CRAPPs for short, is a UK-based award scheme created to celebrate the relationship between public relations professionals, journalists and bloggers. Founded by British public relations agency 10 Yetis in 2010, the awards are conducted entirely online.
History
Foundation
The inaugural awards were launched in the UK in November, 2010. They were created by 10 Yetis PR Agency and sponsored by Daryl Willcox Publishing. When speaking to a Guardian newspaper blogger Leigh commented that "The media calendar is already full of awards, but the difference here is recognising the often-difficult relationship between journalists and PRs whilst having a bit of fun at the same time." The CRAPPs returned for its second year in November, 2011.
Format
Nomination process
Throughout the nomination process, members of the public relations industry were invited to nominate members of the British press for a variety of award categories.
Voting process
A shortlist of ten individuals was compiled in each category based on the number of nominations. Users were invited to vote for one person in each category.
2010 Award categories
The journalist that makes you feel warm and furry on the inside
The 'most likely to tell you to sling your hook' award
Journalist you'd most like to bring to the dark side
2011 Award categories
The CRAPPs returned in 2011 with more categories. A category entitled the 'most fanciable journalist ' award was included and then removed on the day the 2011 scheme launched. Leigh stated: 'The last thing we want to do is cause offence — our intention is to simply highlight the love/hate relationship between PR people and journalists in a light-hearted way.'
The journalist that makes you feel warm and furry on the inside
The 'most likely to tell you to sling your hook' award
The 'best blogger' PR award
Least twattish Twitterer — the must follow journo
Least twattish Twitterer — the must follow PR
Most approachable daily newspaper
Journalist you'd most like to bring to the dark side
The CRAPPs winners
2010
The journalist that makes you feel warm and furry on the inside
Winner = Ben Moss – sport.co.uk
2nd = Adrian Bridgwater — freelance
3rd = Tara Evans – thisismoney.co.uk
The 'most likely to tell you to sling your hook' award
During the 2010 awards, The CRAPPs received numerous mentions in the media. The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, Press Gazette, Communicate, PR Daily, Pocket-lint, PRMoment and numerous other blogs and media featured the inaugural campaign. Daily Telegraph city editor Jonathan Russell commented, "My favourite award is for the journalist most likely to tell a PR to sling his or her hook. There will be stiff competition". Dominic Ponsford, editor of Press Gazette said "The PR industry is getting its own back on the journalistic community with the Communicative Relations Awards from PR Professionals." He continued, "Being nominated for any award by the PR industry has to be a mixed blessing for a journalist, and these ones certainly are". Ben Smith, of industry news website PRMoment commented that the awards celebrate the "often-contentious ‘special relationship’ PRs and journalists share" and said that they provide "a reason for banter between the two camps". The awards again received positive media attention in 2011, being featured by The Guardian, Press Gazette and PR industry websites PRmoment and Behind The Spin amongst others.
